Cruises visiting Pelorus Island

Currently we have no major cruise ships visiting Pelorus Island in the 2019-2021 seasons.

Future sailings will be shown here as they become available, and alternative ports in the region can be viewed at Australia Cruises. Please contact one of our cruise specialists today on 1800 121 187 if you require further assistance.

Pelorus Island, off the east coast of Australia, is the northernmost island of the Great Palm Island group. It overlooks to the west the 5.76km Lucinda Jetty and the picturesque world heritage listed Hitchinbrook Island. The ocean surrounding Pelorus is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Pelorus’ fringing reef, in the shallow waters just metres off the beach, offers snorkelling, and opportunity to view a giant clam garden. Explore the island’s rainforest on a guided nature walk, or simply relax on the beach to soak up the sun. The islands in the area were named the "Palm Isles" by explorer James Cook in 1770 as he sailed up the eastern coast of Australia.

There are no permanent structures on the 4 sq.km. Pelorus, nor fresh water. Coral Princess Cruises, an Australian small-ship cruise line, maintains a long-term private lease on part of the island and visits for a picnic stopover during their Great Barrier Reef cruises. Colourful corals can be admired from a glass bottomed boat, while there are many popular dive sites such the Black Coral Wall, Chunder Point and the Bat Caves. Visitors can join a guided SCUBA dive that offers the opportunity to see the incredible local biodiversity, comprising 310 species of hard and soft corals, diverse marine life including turtles, manta rays, sharks, and over 990 different types of fish.

To protect the rare rain forest, 300 feral goats are being removed by the release of four wild dingoes (that have been implanted with a time-activated poison). Explained a council manager, "This is nature. The dingo is a predator, the goat is the source of a dingo's affection, so we believe that, yeah, just put nature together and that'll sort out the problem. . . . In a few years' time you won't recognise Pelorus Island." The goats were originally released during the 1800s as food for lighthouse keepers and shipwrecked sailors.